


What kind of video games get big fic fandoms?

by Franzeska



Series: March Meta Matters [14]
Category: Fandom - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Meta, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23152555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Franzeska/pseuds/Franzeska
Summary: Originally posted: November 26, 2019.https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/189318038044/how-do-i-write-fanfiction-for-a-video-gameUploaded for day 14 of the March Meta Matters Challenge. Alas that I have no meta about pie.I was weighing in on a discussion that started with an anonymous ask: "Anonymous asked: how do i write fanfiction for a video game?"
Series: March Meta Matters [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664836
Kudos: 3
Collections: March Meta Matters Challenge





	What kind of video games get big fic fandoms?

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted: November 26, 2019.
> 
> https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/189318038044/how-do-i-write-fanfiction-for-a-video-game
> 
> Uploaded for day 14 of the March Meta Matters Challenge. Alas that I have no meta about pie.
> 
> I was weighing in on a discussion that started with an anonymous ask: "Anonymous asked: how do i write fanfiction for a video game?"

I’ve seen that in fic, but not super often.

What I think the anon above might be missing is that most video games that get big fic fandoms already have a lot of character or plot in canon.

Looking at what has over 10k on AO3 or FFN, I’m seeing:

  * Various **Final Fantasy**, **Shin Megami Tensei/Persona**, and **Fire Emblem** games, **Kingdom Hearts**, and **Legend of Zelda**, all of which have a fair amount of story and characterization, though in some of the older games, you might have to play all the side quests to really see it.
  * **Pokemon**… which does have game fic, but you know a ton of this is for the anime.
  * **Dragon** **Age** and **Mass Effect**, famously story-driven games with great voice actors. Also romance subplots. And long-ass cutscenes that feel like they belong on a TV show. There are literally the least surprising things in the universe to have fic.
  * **Fallout**, **Elder Scrolls**, **Resident** **Evil** \- some memorable characters, though they’re not as developed as ME and DA
  * **Detroit: Become Human** \- This might as well be a movie! The characters even look like the voice actors.
  * **Overwatch** \- I’m told the characters get fleshed out a lot in the supplementary material like comic books?
  * **Dangan** **Ronpa** \- A visual novel, right? Those are inherently story-heavy, with a lot of character development
  * **Undertale** \- Doesn’t this also have fleshed out (har har har) characters?

The only ones that actually confuse me at all are **Mario**, **Super Smash Bros**, and **Sonic** on FFN.

Why is Sonic one of the most consistently active fanfic fandoms, going back decades? Who knows.

But if that anon was imagining that video game fanfic is for… like… tetris or something, that’s just not true. There are a few jokey fics for games like that, but most are for games that have a lot of plot and characterization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this post, someone weighed in on Sonic fandom: "Anonymous asked: As an avid Sonic fan, Sonic games actually do have a lot of plot nowadays! They've come a long way from just running through Green Hill Zone. There's also a couple of Sonic animated shows, and a comic series!"
> 
> I stand corrected! Sonic does fit the pattern.
> 
> https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/189339335294/as-an-avid-sonic-fan-sonic-games-actually-do-have

**Author's Note:**

> After I posted this, someone commented about Sonic:
> 
> "Anonymous asked: As an avid Sonic fan, Sonic games actually do have a lot of plot nowadays! They've come a long way from just running through Green Hill Zone. There's also a couple of Sonic animated shows, and a comic series!"
> 
> I stand corrected! Sonic does fit the pattern.
> 
> https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/189339335294/as-an-avid-sonic-fan-sonic-games-actually-do-have


End file.
